Manny Ramirez STILL possibly an Angel...

by Rev Halofan on Feb 3, 2006 11:22 PM PST in Angels News

The rumors will not die.

Someone must have reminded re-hired Theo Epstein what his job entails.

Menawhile, Arte Moreno's GM, Bill Stoneman, has sat back chuckling, in no hurry to trade, pushing the party line that the Angels are set and happy with what they have got.

Months ago I called this a high stakes poker move, Bill turning to Boston's Larry Lucchhiinno and saying I Check.

So John Henry, Boston's owner, rehires Theo to play a hand with Bill Stoneman. And Bill checks again.

Beantown's Clown Footwear Team is going to get nervous and they are going to blink.

Point is, they cannot get the value for Manny Ramirez in terms of players. Manny's contract is a liability and his known desire to leave the team puts the Bosox in a weakened trading position.

Bill Stoneman will not trade a player of the caliber of Brandon Wood, Howie Kendrick, Jered Weaver or Ervin Santana to Boston for Manny Ramirez.

I could see a few of the Angels Major League players on the block: Chone Figgins, Adam Kennedy, Orlando Cabrera, Juan Rivera.

Darin Erstad has a no-trade clause for four teams that reportedly includes the Red Sox. He lists the four teams to which he will not go at the start of each Spring Training. One year it included the Dodgers. Another year, both New York teams were on it. Both Canadian teams were regularly on it (perhaps indicating an abhorrence of the tax code up North). This trade could be waiting for him to turn in the loose-leaf slip to the principal on February 28.

How about making it a trade of TWO players from the Red Sox? Mike Lowell is owed $8 million this season and next. How about Manny and Mike for Edgardo Alfonzo, Orlando Cabrera, Juan Rivera and Dallas McPherson.

Boston gets one year of the Alfonzo salary dump, three years at $8 million of the RSNation-approved Cabrera, an outfielder in his prime in Rivera and a great (and affordable) ML-seasoned prospect in McPherson.

The Angels trade $37 million of contracts plus pre-arbitration McPherson for three years of Manny, two years of overpaid but serviceable Mike Lowell for a net cost of $46 million.

Now, I can see them throwing in a pitching prospect like Steve Shell or Chris Bootcheck or Greg Jones, a B List hitting/defender like Mike Napoli or Tommy Murphy, or one more bubble-veteran-contributor like Brendan Donnelly, but pretty much, the above trade outline is my final offer.

Oh, and Theo, when it is July and the Red Sox are 14 games back in the East, Stoneman is not going to be offering so much sweetness for the New England rebuilding project...

Tweet Comment 10 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

comments

I realize this is a Angels blog, but the idea that
the Red Sox are going to be out 14 games in July or
Bill Stoneman will win some type of staring contest with Theo Epstein is laughable.

Manny Ramirez has asked for a trade since the minute he signed a contract in Boston. The Red Sox aren't afraid to keep him on the team and he's been very productive every year even with the distractions.

Are the Red Sox going to get full trade value if something goes down? No. However,the idea that Theo will trade him for 50 cents on the dollar isn't going to happen either.

by NDBoston on Feb 4, 2006 1:14 PM PST reply actions

When Manny

pisses OUTSIDE the green monster this season, we'll see where Beantown can drop him...

by Rev Halofan on Feb 4, 2006 1:23 PM PST up reply actions

Theo & Manny

Why wouldn't Theo trade Manny for "50 cents on the dollar"? After all, Theo put Manny on IRREVOCABLE WAIVERS two years ago, and if a team would have claimed him, Boston would have gotten nothing in return.

by Ox Wiebe on Feb 4, 2006 1:27 PM PST up reply actions

Irrevocable waivers

That was done at the beginning of the off-season and the Red Sox would have taken the money saved and gone after players that could relplace him (like Vlad Guerrero for instance).

As well, the free agent signings these two last years don't make Manny's contract that bad in comparison when you look at his production numbers.

Do you really expect Theo to just give away Manny at this time of the year? Not.gonna.happen.

by NDBoston on Feb 4, 2006 1:34 PM PST up reply actions

Boston Media

will freak out on Manny for some thing small like asking Ted Kennedy what is a Cappaquidick and the firestorm will force Theo to hold a fire sale.

by Rev Halofan on Feb 4, 2006 1:38 PM PST up reply actions

Like the last 2 years Rev?

I don't think it's possible that Manny could get more negative media press the last 3 years in Boston.

It's clear that Theo won't trade him for cheap and ownership has stated the same thing. Feel free to continue your wishful thinking though. That's all you will have going into the season because Manny won't be on the Angels without some value coming back in return.

BTW- It's spelled Chappaquiddick.

by NDBoston on Feb 4, 2006 1:47 PM PST reply actions

Agreed

Manny couldn't get any more negative press, but he COULD fight back.

We'll see, I kinda don't want Manny really, seeing as his gorgeous wife would so fall for my drop-dead good looks that she would want to have an affair with me and this would probably affect Manny's on-field performance.

by Rev Halofan on Feb 4, 2006 1:56 PM PST up reply actions

Bill Shaikin Reports . . .

Incidentally, Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times was on the radio the other day and said he didn't think Stoneman had much interest in Manny. He said unless Boston paid a substantial part of Manny's salary AND was willing to accept some second-tier prospects and/or a marginal major leaguer, it was a no-go. It seems to me Stoneman doesn't want Manny for the same reason Theo wants to dump him -- his huge contract and the limitations it would impose on the club now and down the road.

by Ox Wiebe on Feb 4, 2006 2:03 PM PST reply actions